Summary (tl;dr)

President Donald Trump sparked widespread controversy by sharing an AI-generated video on Truth Social that depicted former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama as apes. The post, which also pushed false claims about the 2020 election, was later removed following bipartisan condemnation and accusations of racism.

Essential Background

The dehumanization of Black people by associating them with animals, particularly apes, has a long and deeply racist history in the United States, dating back centuries and used to justify enslavement and racial discrimination. Former President Trump has a documented history of using intensely personal and often incendiary or racially charged rhetoric against the Obamas and other political opponents, including promoting the false "birther" conspiracy theory against Barack Obama. This incident also occurs against a backdrop of ongoing efforts by Trump to promote unsubstantiated conspiracy theories regarding the integrity of the 2020 U.S. presidential election.

The Full Story

On Thursday night, February 6, 2026, President Donald Trump re-posted an artificial intelligence-generated video on his Truth Social account. The minute-long video propagated debunked conspiracy theories about tampering in the 2020 U.S. election. Critically, near its conclusion, the video briefly featured images of former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama with their faces digitally imposed onto the bodies of apes, set to the tune of "The Lion Sleeps Tonight."

The post immediately drew severe backlash from across the political spectrum, with many labeling it overtly racist and offensive. Initially, the White House defended the video, with press secretary Karoline Leavitt suggesting it was part of a larger "internet meme" depicting Trump as the "King of the Jungle" and Democrats as "Lion King" characters, dismissing the criticism as "fake outrage." However, amid mounting pressure and widespread condemnation, including from some Republican lawmakers, the post was removed from Truth Social on Friday. A White House official subsequently stated that a staffer had "erroneously made the post" and that it had been taken down. Later, President Trump acknowledged that he had directed aides to post the video but claimed he had not seen the offensive portion depicting the Obamas. When questioned by reporters while aboard Air Force One, Trump refused to apologize, asserting, "I didn't make a mistake."

Why It Matters

This incident is significant as it leverages a deeply offensive and historically racist trope that has been used for centuries to dehumanize Black individuals. The use of AI-generated imagery in this context further highlights concerns about the spread of disinformation and the potential for artificial intelligence to amplify harmful stereotypes in political campaigns and public discourse. The controversy has ignited renewed discussions about racial sensitivity and the acceptable boundaries of political rhetoric, drawing criticism from civil rights leaders and prompting bipartisan calls for accountability. Trump's refusal to apologize and the White House's initial defense further fuel the debate over accountability for inflammatory content shared by high-ranking political figures.

Geographic Location

• Washington, D.C., District of Columbia, United States (location of the White House, which issued statements regarding the post)
• Sarasota, Sarasota County, Florida, United States (headquarters of Truth Social, the platform where the video was posted)
• In flight to Florida, United States (President Trump made statements to reporters aboard Air Force One)